Department for Transport

Transport Update

Andrew Stephenson: I have been asked by my Right Honourable Friend, the Secretary of State, to make this Written Ministerial Statement. This Statement concerns the application made under the Planning Act 2008 for the proposed alteration and upgrading by Highways England of the existing M25 Junction 10 Roundabout. Under section 107(1) of the Planning Act 2008, the Secretary of State must make his decision within 3 months of receipt of the Examining Authority’s report unless exercising the power under section 107(3) to extend the deadline and make a Statement to the House of Parliament announcing the new deadline. The Secretary of State received the Examining Authority’s report on the M25 Junction 10/A3 Wisley Interchange Development Consent Order application on 12 October 2020 and the current deadline is 12 May 2021 having been extended from 12 January 2021 by way of my Written Ministerial Statement of 12 January 2021. The deadline for the decision is to be further extended to 12 November 2021 (an extension of 6 months) to allow further consideration of environmental matters. The decision to set a new deadline is without prejudice to the decision on whether to grant development consent.

Traffic Light System: Safe Return to International Travel

Grant Shapps: We have made enormous progress this year in tackling the pandemic across Britain. That progress has been hard won and it is important that we do not risk undermining it now. Yet we are also a nation with ties across the globe.In 2019, UK residents took over 93 million trips abroad, for business, leisure and to visit friends and family. International travel is vital. It connects families who have been kept apart, boosts businesses and underpins the UK economy. It is absolutely essential that any steps we take now, lay the groundwork for a sustainable return to travel. That is why on Friday 7 May, I announced the first steps towards unlocking international travel.I have confirmed that, from 17 May, the ‘Stay in the UK’ regulation will cease and international travel will be allowed to restart, governed by a new traffic light system. The system will allow the public to understand COVID requirements when travelling to England. Health measures at the border will vary depending on whether travelling from a green, amber or red country. You can see the full list of countries in each category on gov.uk.The Traffic Light SystemAs the virus is still spreading in many parts of the world, people should not be travelling to amber or red countries.Given the need for caution, the green list will initially be modest with only the following 12 countries and territories on the initial list when international travel resumes on 17 May:Portugal (including the Azores and Madeira)Israel (and Jerusalem)GibraltarIcelandSingaporeAustraliaBrunei DarussalamFalkland IslandsFaroe IslandsNew ZealandSaint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da CunhaSouth Georgia and the South Sandwich IslandsCountries on the green list pose the lowest risk, therefore passengers who have only visited or transited through a green list country will not be required to quarantine on arrival in England. They will be required to fill in the Passenger Locator Form, provide a valid notification of a negative test result prior to travel and take a sequencing test on day 2 after arrival.The Maldives, Nepal and Turkey will be added to the red list from 0400 on 12 May, a sign of our ongoing vigilance in protecting against the virus and from the importation of variants. International visitors who have visited or transited through any red list country in the previous 10 days will be refused entry into England. Only British and Irish citizens, or those with residence rights in the UK, will be allowed to enter and they must stay in a government approved quarantine facility for 10 days.All other countries will remain on the amber list. Passengers who have visited or transited through an amber country will be required to fill in the Passenger Locator Form, provide a valid notification of a negative test result prior to travel, quarantine at home for 10 days, and take a test on day 2 and day 8 after arrival. Passengers will also have the option to opt into Test to Release at day 5.While the number of countries on the green list is initially low, I anticipate it will grow over time as the situation improves globally, meaning further opportunities for international travel will open up.The risk posed by individual countries will be continuously monitored and the green, amber and red lists will be updated every three weeks. The Joint Biosecurity Centre (JBC) will produce risk assessments of countries and territories. Decisions will be taken by Ministers, who take into account the JBC risk assessments, alongside wider public health factors. Key factors in the JBC risk assessment of each country include:Genomic surveillance capabilityCOVID-19 transmission riskVariant of Concern transmission riskA summary of the JBC methodology has been published on gov.uk, alongside key data that supports Ministers' decisions.If the situation in a country changes dramatically, we will not hesitate to act swiftly and decisively to protect the health of the UK public and our progress on vaccination.Demonstrating COVID-19 Vaccination StatusFrom 17 May, people in England who have had the vaccine will be able to demonstrate their COVID-19 vaccination status for outbound travel using the NHS App or letter. In due course, the app will allow people to show evidence of negative tests as they travel out of the country.The Government is working with the devolved administrations to ensure this facility is available to everyone across the UK.Messages to PassengersGiven the virus is still spreading in many parts of the world, the public are recommended against travel to amber and red countries, and instead should only travel to countries on the green list.Reopening international travel while maintaining checks of health measures for every passenger at the border means queues are inevitable. We understand that queues are frustrating but undertaking proper checks is the right thing to do to reduce the chances of a new variant of the virus entering the country.We have updated the guidance on gov.uk setting out the requirements of all passengers. We will continue to promote messages on how to prepare for travel via all our usual channels. You should check the gov.uk/travel-abroad page to help plan your journeys.Future ReviewsThe traffic light system will be reviewed through a series of checkpoints in June, July and October, taking into account the latest domestic and international data.The Government is committed to giving people the freedom to travel with confidence and supporting the wider travel industry.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Statutory decision deadline for the application for development consent for the Norfolk Boreas offshore wind farm

Anne-Marie Trevelyan: This Statement concerns an application for development consent made under the Planning Act 2008 by Norfolk Boreas Limited for the installation, operation and maintenance of the proposed Norfolk Boreas Offshore Wind Farm, its related offshore infrastructure off the coast of Norfolk and its related onshore electrical connections within that county.Under section 107(1) of the Planning Act 2008, the Secretary of State must make a decision on an application within three months of the receipt of the Examining Authority’s report unless exercising the power under section 107(3) of the Act to set a new deadline. Where a new deadline is set, the Secretary of State must make a Statement to Parliament to announce it. The deadline for the decision on the Norfolk Boreas Offshore Wind Farm application was 12 April 2021.The Secretary of State has decided to set a new deadline of no later than 10 December 2021 for deciding this application to allow an opportunity for further information in respect of cumulative impacts of the onshore substation and of offshore environmental effects to be provided and considered.The decision to set the new deadline for this application is without prejudice to the decision on whether to grant or refuse development consent.

East Anglia ONE North and East Anglia TWO offshore wind farm development consent applications

Anne-Marie Trevelyan: This Statement concerns applications for development consent made under the Planning Act 2008 by East Anglia ONE North Limited and East Anglia TWO Limited for the installation, operation and maintenance of the proposed East Anglia ONE North Offshore Wind Farm and the proposed East Anglia TWO Offshore Wind Farm respectively, their related offshore infrastructure off the coast of Suffolk and their related onshore electrical connections within this county.Under section 98(1) of the Planning Act 2008, the Examining Authority must complete its examination of an application by the end of the period of six months beginning with the day after the start day of the examination unless the Secretary of State sets a new deadline under section 98(4) of that Act. Where a new deadline is set, the Secretary of State must make a Statement to Parliament to announce it.A request has been made by the Planning Inspectorate to extend the examination periods for the proposed developments. The reasons given for this request were that some Interested Parties, Local Authorities and Statutory Bodies have had their resources and capability reduced due to COVID-19 restrictions and that extensions would enable all Interested Parties sufficient time to engage properly and effectively in the examination processes.Taking these reasons into account and, after careful consideration, the Secretary of State has decided to reset the statutory timescale for the examinations. The examination periods for both applications are now extended by three months (from 6 April 2021) so that the examinations must be completed by no later than 6 July 2021.However, mindful of the need to avoid unnecessary delays to the development consent processes, the Secretary of State requests the Examining Authorities to make best efforts to complete the examination processes as soon as is reasonably practicable within the extended periods.The decision to set the new deadlines for the examinations of these applications is without prejudice to the decisions on whether to grant or refuse development consents.

Advanced Research and Invention Agency Preparatory Activity – Recruitment of CEO and Chair

Amanda Solloway: Given the unusual autonomy placed on the CEO and Chair roles for ARIA, it is vital we source the best possible candidates, and get them started as soon as possible. We have planned an extensive outreach strategy to ensure we maximise the size of the talent pool. We will expand and enhance the search for the right individuals, including by procuring the services of a respected international Executive Search agency from the Government’s Commercial Framework. This agency will not have any part to play in candidate selection or interview sifting, these activities will be the responsibilities of BEIS Secretary of State and the ARIA Recruitment Panel, respectively.Parliamentary approval for additional resource of £200,000 for this new service will be sought in a Main Estimate for the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. Pending that approval, urgent expenditure estimated at £200,000 will be met by repayable cash advances from the Contingencies Fund.

Northern Ireland Office

The Government's Legislative Programme (Northern Ireland) 2021-22

Brandon Lewis: The legislative programme for the Second Session was outlined by Her Majesty on 11 May. 25 of the 29 Bills announced in the Government’s legislative programme contain a wide range of measures that will apply to Northern Ireland in either in full or in part. This ambitious legislative programme, and the delivery that will flow from it, underlines the importance that the Government places on the Union, and Northern Ireland’s integral part within it. It also reinforces the Government's commitment of levelling up right across the UK, delivering for people and businesses across Northern Ireland, as part of a strong United Kingdom, to ensure we can build back better and recover from the Covid pandemic by strengthening economic growth and opportunities right across the UK. It also builds on the unprecedented action the Government has taken to support individuals, businesses and communities in Northern Ireland to get the Northern Ireland economy back up and running. This includes £4.2 billion funding through the Barnett formula to tackle the pandemic - over and on top of £3.5 billion in investment we are already making in Northern Ireland through the New Deal for Northern Ireland - ambitious City Deals, PEACE PLUS and the New Decade New Approach financial package. This financial boost, together with further funding streams and legislative action will continue to lay the foundations for delivering prosperity, safety, ongoing support for communities right across Northern Ireland, and working with the Executive to ensure the effective delivery of public services. My Department will also lead on two of the Bills within the legislative programme which have a specific focus on matters at the heart of Northern Ireland. These are: The Northern Ireland (Ministers, Elections and Petitions of Concern) Bill which will deliver aspects of the New Decade, New Approach deal agreed by the five main Northern Ireland political parties when the Executive was restored in January 2020; A Bill to address the legacy of The Troubles in a way which focuses on reconciliation, delivers for victims, and ends the cycle of investigations.  The Bills that will extend to in whole or in part to Northern Ireland are listed below. Advanced Research & Invention Agency BillArmed Forces BillAnimals Abroad BillAnimal Welfare (Sentience) BillBorders BillBuilding Safety BillCounter-State Threats BillDissolution and Calling of Parliament BillDormant Assets BillElectoral Integrity BillEnvironment BillHealth and Care BillJudicial Review BillLegacy BillNational Insurance Contributions BillNorthern Ireland (Ministers, Elections and Petitions of Concern) BillPlanning BillPolice, Crime, Sentencing and Courts BillProcurement Reform BillProduct Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure BillProfessional Qualifications BillPublic Service Pensions and Judicial Offices BillSubsidy Control BillSkills and Post-16 Education BillTelecommunications (Security) Bill In line with the Sewel Convention and associated practices, the Government will continue to work constructively with the Northern Ireland Executive to secure the legislative consent of the Northern Ireland Assembly where appropriate.

Wales Office

The Government's Legislative Programme (Wales) 2021-22

Simon Hart: The legislative programme for the Second Session was outlined by Her Majesty on 11 May. This statement provides a summary of the programme and its application to Wales. It does not include draft bills, Law Commission bills or Finance Bills.The United Kingdom has faced many unexpected and difficult challenges over the past year. The UK Government has supported communities in Wales with an extra £7.9 billion to tackle the pandemic; in addition to over £2.75 billion in direct support to businesses in Wales.We are slowly emerging from the worst public health crisis in over a century and this Government’s focus will be on increasing job opportunities, productivity and long-term investment in the people of this great nation. This legislative programme will support our collective recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and support our efforts to build back better, strengthening the ties between all parts of the United Kingdom and unleashing its potential.By focusing on the key areas of growth, infrastructure, skills and innovation our legislative programme will directly contribute to levelling up the whole of the United Kingdom and delivering a global Britain.The following bills will apply to Wales (either in full or in part):Animals Abroad BillAnimal Welfare (Sentience) BillAdvanced Research and Invention Agency BillArmed Forces BillBorders BillBuilding Safety BillCounter-State Threats BillDissolution and Calling of Parliament BillDormant Assets BillElectoral Integrity BillEnvironment BillHealth and Care BillHigher Education (Freedom of Speech) BillHigh Speed Rail (Crewe - Manchester) BillJudicial Review BillKept Animals BillLeasehold Reform (Ground Rent) BillLegacy BillNational Insurance Contributions BillNorthern Ireland (Ministers, Elections and Petitions of Concern) BillPlanning BillPolice, Crime, Sentencing and Courts BillProcurement BillProduct Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure BillProfessional Qualifications BillPublic Service Pensions and Judicial Offices BillSkills and Post-16 Education BillSubsidy Control BillTelecommunications (Security) BillThe Government takes its responsibilities in Wales incredibly seriously and will continue to work constructively with the Welsh Government to secure the legislative consent of the Senedd Cymru where appropriate.

Leader of the House

The Government’s Legislative Programme 2021

Mr Jacob Rees-Mogg: Following the State Opening of Parliament, and for the convenience of the House, I am listing the bills which were announced:Animals Abroad BillAnimal Welfare (Sentience) BillAdvance Research and Invention Agency BillArmed Forces BillBorders BillBuilding Safety BillCounter-State Threats BillDissolution and Calling of Parliament BillDormant Assets BillElectoral Integrity BillEnvironment BillHealth and Care BillHigher Education (Freedom of Speech) BillHigh Speed Rail (Crewe-Manchester) BillJudicial Review BillKept Animals BillLeasehold Reform (Ground Rent) BillLegacy BillNational Insurance Contributions BillNorthern Ireland (Ministers, Elections and Petitions of Concern) BillPlanning BillPolice, Crime, Sentencing and Courts BillProduct Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure BillProfessional Qualifications BillProcurement BillPublic Service Pensions and Judicial Offices BillSkills and Post-16 Education BillSubsidy Control BillTelecommunications (Security) BillThe programme will also include Finance Bills to implement budget policy decisions. This list does not include draft bills or Law Commission bills.Detailed information about each of these bills can be accessed from the Gov.uk website at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/985029/Queen_s_Speech_2021_-_Background_Briefing_Notes..pdf

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Contingencies Fund Advance – Office for Environmental Protection

George Eustice: This government was elected on a manifesto that committed to setting up a new independent Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) and to have the “most ambitious environmental programme of any country on earth”. Defra is seeking a further repayable cash advance from the Contingencies Fund (CFA) of £6,713,000 to proceed with setting up the OEP in advance of Royal Assent of the Environment Bill (the Bill). This new CFA is in addition to the advances of £215,000 and £536,000 notified to Parliament on 21 July and 23 October 2020 which covered essential set up expenditure up to 31 March 2021. Under Managing Public Money rules, providing a Bill has successfully passed second reading then expenditure to make preparation for the delivery of a new service prior to Royal Assent requires an advance from the Contingencies Fund. The requirement for this third CFA has arisen because the Environment Bill has been carried over and is still completing its Parliamentary passage. The CFA is for the period from 1 April 2021 to 31 March 2022 to provide sufficient contingency cover until the end of the financial year. This CFA covers essential set up costs which include estates, recruitment, and HR, and all Interim OEP operational costs from 1 July 2021 until the end of this financial year, or until the OEP is legally established if earlier.Regulations are required to commence the Bill provisions relating to the OEP, and we expect those Regulations to be made shortly after the Bill receives Royal Assent. Ministers have agreed on the need to set up an Interim OEP from 1 July 2021. The Interim OEP will be set up, in non-statutory form, within Defra and will ease the introduction of the full OEP. The Interim OEP will be led by the Chair-designate, Dame Glenys Stacey, and the Interim Chief Executive-designate.The Interim Office for Environmental Protection will be able to:produce and publish an independent assessment of progress in relation to the implementation of the government’s 25 Year Environment Plandevelop the Office for Environmental Protection strategy including its enforcement policyreceive, but not investigate, complaints from members of the public about failures of public authorities to comply with environmental lawtake decisions on operational matters such as staff recruitment, accommodation and facilitiesdetermine approaches for how the Office for Environment Protection will form and operate, establishing its character, ways of working and voice. The need to spend now in advance of Royal Assent will allow the Interim OEP to commence on 1 July 2021, and smooth the transition so that the OEP can begin its statutory functions as soon as practical after Royal Assent.Parliamentary approval for additional resources of £6,713,000 for this new service will be sought in the Main Estimate for Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Pending that approval, urgent expenditure estimated at £6,713,000 will be met by repayable cash advances from the Contingencies Fund.

Home Office

Consultation on the 12-month rule in regulation 12 of the Police (Injury Benefit) Regulations 2006

Kit Malthouse: This government has made clear our commitment to giving our world-class police the resources, powers and tools they need. They show remarkable courage and dedication to duty every day, which deserves our upmost respect, recognition and support. In doing their duty, police officers put themselves in harm’s way to protect us. Sadly, this can lead to injury, which in some cases has a lasting impact on an officer’s own health, and there are well-established provisions in place to support officers who are injured in the line of duty. Where a police officer suffers a serious injury on duty, which leads to total and permanent disablement, it is right that they are appropriately compensated. The government is today launching a consultation on the compatibility of the 12-month rule in regulation 12 of the Police (Injury Benefit) Regulations 2006 with statutory obligations under the Equality Act 2010 and its suitability for inclusion in regulation 12. Regulation 12 governs the provision of disablement gratuities for police officers totally and permanently disabled by an injury suffered on duty. The 12-month rule in regulation 12 of the Police (Injury Benefit) Regulations 2006 limits the granting of the higher police injury gratuity to only those individuals for whom total and permanent disability manifests within 12 months of suffering an injury on duty. It has been argued that this rule may result in a difference in treatment between police officers who suffer physical conditions and those who suffer mental health conditions. The government is committed to ensuring that the police injury benefit regulations are fully compliant with its obligations under the Equality Act 2010. The consultation will be available from 12 May 2021 until 7 July 2021 at https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/regulation-12-of-the-police-injury-benefit-regulations-2006. A copy of the consultation will also be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Scotland Office

The Government's Legislative Programme (Scotland) 2021-22

Mr Alister Jack: The legislative programme for the Second Session was outlined by Her Majesty on Tuesday 11 May. This statement provides a summary of the programme and its application to Scotland. It does not include draft bills, Law Commission bills or Finance Bills. This Government will continue to deliver for people and businesses across Scotland, as part of a strong United Kingdom. The UK Government has ensured citizens and businesses across the UK benefit from our £352 billion package of support since the start of the pandemic, which has supported one in three Scottish jobs, as well as providing access to tests and key medicines and ensuring every part of the UK continues to receive its fair share of one of the world’s largest and most diverse vaccine portfolios. The legislative programme for this session will support our collective Covid-19 recovery, ensuring the whole of the UK can build back better by focusing on increasing job opportunities, productivity and long-term investment in people. To help with this recovery, we are boosting funding for communities in all parts of the UK. Our Community Renewal Fund will invest £220million in local areas ahead of the launch of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund in 2022. We have also set up the £4.8million UK Levelling Up fund which will invest in infrastructure which improves everyday life across the UK. We are committed to levelling up across the whole of the United Kingdom, to ensure that no community is left behind as we recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. We will build back greener, and we are committed to leading the way in tackling climate change and to see the low carbon economy support up to two million green jobs by 2030 as part of the Prime Minister’s Green Industrial Revolution. This legislative programme will combine our ambitious plans to level up across the country with making strides towards the UK’s net zero by 2050. We are working with local authorities, businesses, and citizens across the UK to inspire action ahead of hosting the COP26 summit in Glasgow in November. COP26 will be the moment we secure our path to global net zero emissions by 2050 and define the next decade of tackling climate change. The Government is committed to protecting and promoting the strengths of the United Kingdom, building on hundreds of years of partnership between the regions of our country, the most successful political and economic union in history and the foundation upon which all our businesses and citizens are able to thrive and prosper.  The following bills would apply to Scotland (either in full or in part). Advance Research and Invention Agency BillArmed Forces BillAnimals Abroad BillAnimal Welfare (Sentience) BillBorders BillBuilding Safety BillCounter-State Threats BillDissolution and Calling of Parliament BillDormant Assets BillElectoral Integrity BillEnvironment BillHealth and Care BillHigher Education (Freedom of Speech) BillHigh Speed Rail (Crewe - Manchester) BillJudicial Review BillKept Animals BillNational Insurance Contributions BillNorthern Ireland (Ministers, Elections and Petitions of Concern) BillPlanning BillPolice, Crime, Sentencing and Courts BillProcurement BillProduct Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure BillProfessional Qualifications BillPublic Service Pensions and Judicial Offices BillSubsidy Control BillSkills and Post-16 Education BillTelecommunications (Security) Bill In line with the Sewel Convention and associated practices, the Government will continue to work constructively with the Scottish Government to secure the legislative consent of the Scottish Parliament where appropriate.

Cabinet Office

Dissolution and Calling of Parliament Bill

Chloe Smith: Today, the Government will introduce the Dissolution and Calling of Parliament Bill and, alongside this, will publish our response to the Report of the Joint Committee on the Fixed-term Parliaments Act.In delivering on the Government’s manifesto commitment to repeal the Fixed-term Parliaments Act (2011 Act), we have welcomed the valuable contributions of Parliament, noting in particular the work of the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee, the Lords Constitution Committee and the debates in the last Parliament.It is in this context that the Joint Committee was appointed to fulfil the statutory duty to conduct a review of the operation of the 2011 Act, and also to conduct pre-legislative scrutiny of the Government’s draft Bill and dissolution principles paper. The Government is particularly grateful to the Committee for how it has balanced its statutory responsibility to conduct a review of the current legislation alongside its scrutiny of the draft Bill, and its consideration of whether the Government’s proposal will put in place constitutional arrangements that allow for the effective operation of our parliamentary democracy.To put in place arrangements that deliver increased legal, constitutional and political certainty around the process for dissolving Parliament, the draft Bill makes express legal provision to revive the royal prerogative powers relating to the dissolution of Parliament (and the calling of a new Parliament) that existed prior to the 2011 Act.In returning to this tried and tested system (where the Prime Minister is able to request a dissolution from the Sovereign), a core constitutional principle is that the Government of the day draws its authority by virtue of its ability to command the confidence of the House. The Government of the day is drawn largely from the membership of the House of Commons, and accordingly the House of Commons will continue to play a key role in our constitutional system.Consensus and a common understanding of the principles that underpin the relationship between Parliament, Government, the Sovereign and the electorate is a fundamental part of our democracy. It is for this reason that, alongside the draft Bill, the Government published a draft statement of the constitutional principles that underpin the exercise of the prerogative powers to dissolve Parliament and call a new Parliament. In response to the Joint Committee report, the Government has also set out its view on the Joint Committee statement of ‘Principles and conventions on Confidence, dissolution, [and] government formation’.The Government welcomes the opportunity to continue a constructive dialogue with members of the Joint Committee, and of course, all Parliamentarians during the course of the debate on the Bill.

Update on Preventing Electoral Fraud

Chloe Smith: Electoral fraud is a crime that strikes at a core principle of our democracy - that everyone’s vote matters. In our current system, there is undeniable potential for electoral fraud and the perception of this undermines public confidence in our democracy.In 2016, Sir (now Lord) Eric Pickles conducted an independent review into electoral fraud in the UK, highlighting cases such as Tower Hamlets - in which the 2014 Mayoral election was declared void by corrupt and illegal practices - as evidence of vulnerabilities in our system which must be addressed.Building on the recommendations of the Pickles report, the Queen’s Speech on 11 May 2021 set out that we will go further to protect the integrity of our democracy. Measures in the forthcoming Elections Bill will tighten the rules for absent voting and tackle voter fraud and intimidation.Postal VotingFor those who do not wish to or cannot cast their ballot in person, our system should continue to offer choice. Voting by post or proxy are essential tools for supporting voters to exercise their rights. However, we need to be vigilant in ensuring that they are not exploited.We will bring forward in the Elections Bill a series of measures to give greater protection to all persons with an absent vote arrangement. We will set reasonable limits on the number of ballots a person can hand in on behalf of others and make sure that those people have a legitimate need to be involved.Currently, once their application has been processed, a voter can hold a postal ballot indefinitely with no further checks or confirmations. We will require those registered for a postal vote to reaffirm their identities by reapplying for a postal vote every three years, adding an additional safeguard to reduce the risk of postal votes being appropriated and stolen from legitimate voters.Proxy VotingSimilar to the changes to postal voting, we will set a reasonable limit on the number of voters a proxy can act on behalf of. These measures will improve the integrity of the absent vote process by reducing the opportunity for individuals to exploit the process and steal votes.Undue InfluenceReflecting the recommendations of the Pickles report, I updated the House in March of the Government’s intention to legislate to clarify and improve the offence of undue influence of an elector. Although this is already an offence, the outdated legislation requires modernising, in order to ensure there is adequate protection for electors and that the offence is effective for enforcement agencies.Voter IdentificationAsking voters to prove their identities will safeguard against the potential in our current system for someone to cast another person’s vote at the polling station. Showing identification is something people of all backgrounds do every day.Northern Ireland has used voter identification in its elections since 1985, and expanded this in 2003 during the last Labour government. In the first General Election after photographic identification was introduced in Northern Ireland by the then Labour government (2005), turnout in Northern Ireland was higher than in each of England, Scotland and Wales. Since then, the experience in Northern Ireland has shown that once voter identification is established as part of the voting system the vast majority of electors complete the voting process after arriving at the polling station. A wide range of countries, such as Canada and most European nations, require some form of identification to vote.New research published yesterday on GOV.UK clearly indicates that the vast majority of the electorate of Great Britain, 98% of electors, already own an eligible form of identification, which includes a broad range of documents and expired photographic identification. As part of our implementation plans we will also offer a free, local Voter Card if any elector needs one. The associated documents have been deposited in the Libraries of the Houses of Parliament.Safeguarding the Security and Integrity of the BallotOverall, the package of measures introduced in this Bill will reduce the risk of electoral fraud and reassure voters that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect the security and integrity of the ballot, giving the public confidence that our elections are secure, modern, transparent, inclusive and fair.

Treasury

Financial Services update

John Glen: I can today inform the House of the disposal of £1.1bn worth of government-owned NatWest Group plc (NWG, formerly Royal Bank of Scotland, RBS) shares, representing 5% of the company, by way of an overnight sale via a competitive accelerated book build (ABB) to institutional investors. The government’s remaining shareholding represents 54.8% of the company.RationaleIt is government policy that where a government asset no longer serves a public policy purpose, the government may choose to sell that asset, subject to being able to achieve value for money. This frees up public resource which can be deployed to achieve other public policy objectives.The government is committed to returning NWG to full private ownership, given that the original policy objective for the intervention in NWG – to preserve financial and economic stability at a time of crisis – has long been achieved. The government only conducts sales of NWG shares when it represents value for money to do so and market conditions allow. This sale represents a further step forward for government in exiting the assets acquired as a result of the 2007 to 2008 financial crisis.Format and TimingThe government, supported by advice from UK Government Investments (UKGI), concluded that selling shares by way of a competitive ABB process to institutional investors represented value for money for the taxpayer. The sale involved wall-crossing, an established market procedure designed to improve the chances of reaching the widest possible range of investors, executing successfully and achieving the best price for the taxpayer. Wall-crossing is commonly used in transactions of this sort and involves contacting a number of institutional investors hours before the transaction launch on a confidential basis to give them more time to consider participating in the sale and to provide UKGI with feedback which can be used to optimise the offering. The institutions were selected on the basis of objective criteria and do not receive preferential treatment in the allocation. UKGI intends to keep disposal options under review and will continue to consider further transaction options that achieve value for money for the taxpayer.ABBs are a well-established method of returning government-owned shares to private ownership, while protecting value for the taxpayer. The first two sales of NWG shares were completed by way of ABBs (in August 2015 and June 2018), and this method was also used in the sell-down of the government’s stake in Lloyds Banking Group.This is the fourth sale of NWG shares undertaken by the government, following previous disposals in August 2015, June 2018 and March 2021.The sale concluded on 11 May 2021, with institutional investors purchasing a limited number of government owned shares. A total of 580m shares (5% of the bank) were sold at the price of 190p per share. This represented an 3.6% discount to the 10 May 2021 closing price of 197.05p. A small discount to market price is necessary and expected in a market facing sale of such a large volume of shares overnight. UKGI's view, having taken advice from their privatisation adviser, Goldman Sachs, and their capital markets adviser, Rothschild & Co, is that the final price achieved in the transaction represents fair value, based on the current and future prospects of NWG, and that the transaction achieved value for money for the taxpayer. Following this transaction, the government’s shareholding will stand at 54.8%.Details of the sale are summarised below:Government stake in NWG pre-sale59.8%Total shares sold580 millionSale price per share190.00pShare price at market close on 10/05/2021197.05pDiscount to close price3.6%Total proceeds from the sale£1,102 millionGovernment stake in NWG post-sale54.8% Fiscal impactsThe net impacts of the sale on a selection of fiscal metrics are summarised as follows:MetricImpactNet sale proceeds£1.1 billionRetention value rangeWithin the valuation rangePublic Sector Net BorrowingUncertainThere may be future indirect impacts as a result of the sale. The sale proceeds reduce public sector debt. All else being equal, the sale will reduce future debt interest costs for government.The reduction in government’s shareholding means it will not receive future dividend income it may otherwise have been entitled to through these shares.Public Sector Net DebtReduced by £1.1 billionPublic Sector Net Financial LiabilitiesIncreased by £40.9 millionPublic Sector Net LiabilitiesIncreased by £40.9 million

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Online Safety Bill update

Oliver Dowden: Today the government is publishing the draft Online Safety Bill. This groundbreaking piece of legislation will deliver our manifesto commitment of making the UK the safest place in the world to be online, while also, crucially, protecting freedom of expression. The government's overarching approach to digital regulation will promote competition and innovation, keep the UK safe and secure online, and promote a flourishing, democratic society, all while driving growth. The government will also ensure that its approach to governing digital technologies is streamlined and coherent, within government itself and across the regulatory landscape. Within this, our Online Safety Bill is a key government priority, which takes a proportionate approach that promotes innovation. The need for this legislation is clear: in recent weeks we have seen the sporting community hold a mass boycott of social media to demonstrate the cost of abhorrent online racist abuse, while at the same time we have heard legitimate concerns that social media platforms have arbitrarily removed content or blocked users online. It is crucial that we bring consistency, transparency and fairness into the online sphere. In line with the full government response published in December 2020, the draft Bill will place duties of care on companies and will give Ofcom the functions and powers to oversee the regulatory framework. The aims of this legislation are to ensure online platforms keep their promises by: Protecting children.Tackling criminal activity.Upholding freedom of expression. The strongest provisions in our legislation are for children. All companies in scope of this legislation will need to consider the risks that their sites may pose to the youngest and most vulnerable members of society. This Bill will require companies to take steps to protect children from inappropriate content and harmful activity online, from content such as pro-suicide material. Today I can also confirm that the final legislation, when introduced to Parliament, will contain provisions that will require companies to report child sexual exploitation and abuse (CSEA) content identified on their services. This will ensure companies provide law enforcement with the high-quality information they need to safeguard victims and investigate offenders. Our legislation also makes clear that all in-scope companies must tackle criminal content and activity on their platforms, and remove and limit the spread of illegal and harmful content such as terrorist material and suicide content. The largest social media platforms will need to set out what types of content are unacceptable, and will be held to account for the transparent, consistent and effective enforcement of these terms and conditions. We have heard from many parties, including the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities, which has done excellent work in this area, how damaging online abuse can be. These provisions will help to address the abusive and unpleasant content online which does not reach the threshold of criminality. Since the publication of the full government response in December 2020, there has been significant concern about the exclusion of online fraud from the legislation. This government understands the devastating effect that online fraud can have on its victims, so today we are announcing that the Online Safety Bill brings user-generated fraud into the scope of the regulatory framework. This change will aim to reduce some specific types of damaging fraudulent activity. In tandem, the Home Office will be working with other departments, law enforcement and the private sector to develop the Fraud Action Plan, including the potential for further legislation if necessary. This legislation tackles a number of online harms, but it does so while also protecting core democratic rights - particularly freedom of expression. While the internet has revolutionised our ability to connect with one another - enabling us to exchange views with people all over the world - the majority of online speech is now facilitated by a small number of private companies who wield significant influence over what appears online. We must make sure they cannot use that influence to suppress free debate, arbitrarily remove content or stifle media freedoms. Therefore this legislation will not prevent adults from accessing or posting legal content. Rather, the major platforms will need to be clear what content is acceptable on their services and enforce their terms and conditions consistently and effectively. Companies will not be able to arbitrarily remove controversial viewpoints, and users will be able to seek redress if they feel content has been removed unfairly. This legislation also includes new protections for journalistic content and content of democratic importance. We have been clear that news publishers’ own content on their own sites will not be in scope, and nor will user comments on this content. In addition, news publisher content that is shared on other services will not be in scope, and this draft bill also now includes robust protections to ensure wider journalistic content is not adversely affected. The largest platforms will also have a statutory duty to safeguard users’ access to journalistic content shared on their platforms. When it comes to content of democratic importance, the legislation will also include protections to safeguard pluralism and ensure internet users can continue to engage in robust debate online. We will require the largest platforms to put in place clear policies to protect content of democratic importance, and to enforce this consistently across all content moderation. This will include, for example, content promoting or opposing government policy or a political party ahead of a vote in Parliament, election or referendum, or campaigning on a live political issue. The threat posed by harmful and illegal content and activity is a global one and the government remains committed to building international consensus around shared approaches to improve internet safety. Under the UK's presidency of the G7, the world's leading democracies committed to a set of Internet Safety Principles in line with the main themes in the UK Government’s Online Harms White Paper. This is significant as it is the first time that an approach to internet safety has been agreed in the G7. We will continue to collaborate with our international partners to develop common approaches to this shared challenge. This Bill is the culmination of years of work and is truly novel. It is vital that we get it right both in order to create a framework that delivers for users and that maintains the UK’s reputation as a tech leader. This balance has been struck. During the pre-legislative scrutiny process, which I hope will start as soon as possible, my department and the Home Office will continue work across both Houses to develop some areas of the legislation. This will include measures on user advocacy, and exempting educational institutions that are already regulated from scope. As we move forward, I would like to thank colleagues for their valuable contributions and continued engagement as we prepare this world-leading legislation.